Brush.



No. 67u22.' l Patented Apr. 9,1l9ol.

. w. A. ELnBEnGE.

BRUSH.

(Appliation tiled June 9, 1900.)

(No Modal.)

vwentoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM AUGUSTUS ELDREDGE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BRUSH.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 671,722, dated April 9, 1901.

Application iiled June 9, 1900.

10 all whom it may concern/s Beit known that I, WILLIAM AUGUSTUS ELDREDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brushes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to brushes adapted to hold a block or stick of a soluble solid in such relation to the bristles that when the latter have been dipped in Water or other suitable liquid and are rubbed upon a surface the solid will be dissolved and a solution formed which may be spread upon the surface by the brush.

The object of the invention is to improve the structure of such brushes whereby they are rendered more efficient in use.

For the purpose of enabling others to understand the general features of myinvention I have in the accompanying drawings illustrated theinvention as it will be embodied in a shaving-brush; but it is to be understood that the principles involved in the invention may be applied to brushes for other purposes such, for example, as may be used for applying paint,'blacking, adhesive, &c.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a shaving-brush constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectioualde tail enlarged. Fig. 4 is an end view of the brush-handle.

A indicates the handle of the brush, which will preferably have a removable cap tt at the outer end. This handle is tubular and detachably connected to the head B of the brush. The handle is designed to form the holderor grip for the stick or block of soluble solid, which in the case illustrated is a stick of soap, (indicated by C.) It is obvious such stick may be of a size to t'tightly in the tubular-handle; but preferably the stick will be somewhat less in diameter than the bore of the handle, and the inner end of the handle will be slotted, as indicated at h, and the opening c in the head, into which the handle fits and is secured, will taper slightly in order to contact the slotted end of the handle when forced in. I have shown the opening c and the slotted end as being threaded, and this Serial No. 19,726. (No model.)

will be the preferred construction. Such threading is not, however, essential, for the two parts could be held together by friction or otherwise. The advantage of having a releasable grip on the stick C is that the latter may be more easily fed to position as it becomes shortened by use.

It will be seen that the opening c extends entirely through the head B and is of greater diameter than the stick O and, further, that the threaded portion of the handle extends only a short distance into the opening c. The object of this arrangement is that even if the Stick O should be worn down to the level of the olfter end of the head there would still be sufficient of the stick protruding from the handle to be grasped in order to pull the stick outwardly from the handle.

One of the most important points of my invention is the arrangement of the bristlesf in the head B. As shown clearly in Fig. 2, the bristles form an interior conical space g, into which the end of the stick O projects, and the bristles can thus be brought into much more intimate and effective contact with the stick than is possible where they form a cylindrical space around it, as has previously been proposed. Various means may be employed to cause the bristles to form such interior conical space g, a preferable means being shown in the drawings, where it will be seen that the bristles are arranged in a plurality of concentric rows in the head around the opening c andthat the bristles of the innermost rows are inclined inwardly to approach near to each other or meet at their outer ends at the apex of the conical space, their butts being secured in holes which are inclined at the necessary angle. If preferred, all the bristles may incline toward their outer ends inwardly toward the axis of the brush, or the bristles of the outer row may extend substantially parallel to the axis, as shown.

Preferably, also, the bristles of the innermost rows will be finer and more closely arranged than those of the outer row or rows in order to form a more absorbent body immediately around the soluble stick, and the Water or other liquid will thus naturally tend to go where it is most required, and a solution of the soluble stick will be very rapidly made, which will be partly taken up by the outer bristles, and all of the bristles may be utilied to spread the solution on a surface.

While it is preferable to have the inner bristles liner and more closely arranged than the outer ones, I do not desire it to be understood as being absolutely essential to the successful working of my invention, for the arrangement of the bristles to form the conical space g insures their intimate contact with the soluble stick, and a solution is very quickly formed even with comparatively coarse bristles. Preferably, also, the innermost rows of bristles will be shorter than the outer ones, thereby forming a cup-shaped recess la in the outer end ofthe brush. This is advantageous, as it facilitatesl the spreadingof the outer bristles and enables the bristles which are in close proximity to the soluble stick to be brought into contact with or close proximity to the surface on which the brush is rubbed and causes a more general movement of the bristles upon each other, thereby facilitating the making and spreading of the solution. v

The head is provided with a flange Z, which surrounds the lower ends of the bristles and with the outer end of the head forms a trough which will prevent the water or other liquid flowing from the bristles down the outside of the handle, as it would be liable to do in some cases-as, forinstance, when the user was lathering his face-and the liquid thus caught in the trough will be carried through the bristles to thesoluble material.

In the drawings I have illustrated a cylindrical brush-head; but it may of course be of any other preferred shape or form.

Having described the invention, I claiml. A brush having a head provided with a central opening, bristles secured in said head and the interior bristles being inclined so as to form an interior conical space, and means for supporting a stick of a soluble solid with its ends projecting through the opening in the head into the conical space, substantially as set forth.

soluble stick extends, and the bristles of the inner rows being shorter than those of the outer row, whereby a cup-shaped recess is formed in the outer end of the brush, substantially as setforth.`

3. In a brush, the combination with a head having an opening extending through it, and bristles secured in the head around said opening, of a tubular handle adapted to `grip a stick of a soluble solid and be secured in said opening with the outer end of the stick surrounded bythe bristles, and the inner end of the handle terminating at apoint remote from the front face of the head when the parts are in position, substantially as set forth.

4. In a brush, the combination with a head having a tapered opening extending through it and bristles secured in the head around said opening, of a tubular handle adapted to receive a stick of a soluble solid and having its forward end slotted, whereby when the slotted end is forced into said tapered opening it will be contracted to grip the soluble stick and hold it in the desired position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM AUGUSTUS ELI) REDGE.

Witnesses:

J. J MOCARTHY, A. E. T. HANSMANN. 

